Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 83: Nara Shikaku

Desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain—once it starts, it's hard to stop.

Danzo, who previously occupied a high-ranking position, must have considered abolishing the "one nation, one village" system to place himself atop the pinnacle of power.

But this is Konoha, in the Land of Fire—the very birthplace of the "one nation, one village" system.

Because of this system, many people have benefited. Why would they agree to redistribute their advantages?

If Danzo were to become the Daimyo, controlling both military and political power, could they really expect to gain more?

When it comes to status, during the "one nation, one village" period, it seemed like both the Hokage and the Daimyo were above the great ninja clans. However, in reality, the clans primarily dealt with the Hokage. So while there seemed to be two figures in power, in practice, there was only one.

Abolishing the system would still leave Danzo above them.

In terms of benefits, the Land of Fire is far larger than Konoha. If Danzo offered the ninja clans substantial territories to govern, it would indeed be tempting.

But is that even possible?

If the ninja clans controlled both the military and government in their own territories, how would that be any different from the current Konoha system?

Abolishing the "one nation, one village" system would simply result in another "one nation, one village" outcome, or possibly even "one nation, many villages"—unless Danzo had completely lost his mind.

Assisting Danzo in seizing the Land of Fire may offer some benefits to Konoha's top clans, but it wouldn't lead to fundamental changes and might not even be better than preserving the current system.

Take Konoha as an example: the top ninja clans aim for the position of Hokage. In the context of the Land of Fire, that would mean aiming for the title of Daimyo.

However, the title of Daimyo is passed down by bloodline, while the position of Hokage… The First and Second were from the Senju clan, the Third was from the Sarutobi clan, the Fourth was a civilian, and the Fifth might very well come from the Uchiha or Hyuga clans.

Maintaining the current system actually increases the likelihood that Konoha's top clans will reach the pinnacle of power in the Land of Fire, even if they have to share it with the Daimyo.

If the system is destroyed, the strategic influence that ninja clans exert within Konoha would be greatly diminished, and they might lose their chance to reach the top forever.

From the perspective of the ninja clans at the bottom, they had almost fallen into Danzo's trap because of his rhetoric.

Kurama Yunhai sighed, "Danzo knows this, which is why he targets weaker, reform-seeking ninja clans like us, hoping we will act as his vanguard and test the waters for him."

"Hmph, what's being protected isn't some conservative ideology—it's interests."

Genji looked up at the ceiling and laughed hoarsely. "Even if Danzo told others that once he became Daimyo, every ninja clan would have a chance to compete for the title, who would believe him?"

No one would believe it. Danzo is no Hashirama Senju.

But ultimately, it was their own greed that led them to seek an opportunity for advancement. This time, they were planning to frame Danzo and send him to his demise, which made things even.

"I heard the First Hokage was a bit naive. Now it seems that wasn't entirely true," Genji said with a bitter smile. "No wonder so many great ninja clans joined the village without hesitation when it was founded."

The Hokage holds such a position of power because of Konoha as a whole. Relying on individual strength alone couldn't rival the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

Of course, someone like the First Hokage was an exception.

The same logic applies to Konoha's ninja clans.

Without Konoha, their status would depend solely on their personal strength.

But with Konoha, the prestige of all ninja clans is elevated. The key is that the First Hokage granted them significant autonomy.

Kurama Yunhai added, "Don't forget the Second Hokage."

The First may have been idealistic, but the Second certainly wasn't.

His brother left him with this system, and if he wanted to prevent it from collapsing, he had to find a way to sustain it.

The position of Hokage was the perfect bait. Unlike the hereditary Daimyo title, the Hokage title dangled before the clans, motivating them to uphold the system themselves.

"Uh…"

So the Second Hokage was the First Hokage's brain?

There wasn't much to refute.

Genji was speechless. He glanced down at Kurama Yunhai and changed the subject. "That person let us go because we hadn't committed any irredeemable acts yet, and because we were just pawns in Danzo's scheme?"

Kurama Yunhai shook his head. "I can't be certain, but…"

He paused, his tone becoming enigmatic. "Do you really think Danzo is the only one pulling the strings?"

"You mean…"

Genji frowned, his expression growing serious. "Are some of the more powerful ninja clans also probing the waters? Why would they do that?"

What benefit would there be in changing the system for them?

"Not necessarily probing."

Kurama Yunhai narrowed his eyes. "The ones interacting with Danzo were all minor ninja clans. Since the plan hadn't formally begun, few knew about it. Even Elder Meisei was focused on the more powerful clans and didn't notice. But do you remember what that person said?"

'You were the first to approach me.'

Genji recalled the second part of Hyuga Fuji's statement and pondered it.

The first part was a warning; the second likely explained why they were spared.

They had been the first to approach Hyuga Fuji. What about the other clans involved in the plan? Were they in no rush?

Or… had they already aligned themselves with other influential figures or higher-ups?

"Among the current Konoha leadership, there's only one group with the most comprehensive network of interests."

Kurama Yunhai's eyes narrowed. "They also happen to be the clan that has remained the most low-profile during this incident, yet their capabilities are formidable."

If it truly was that clan, then perhaps it explained why Hyuga Fuji had let them go.

…

"This kind of explanation might expose me completely."

After Genji and Kurama Yunhai left, a figure emerged from the shadows, casting a complex look at Hyuga Fuji.

"Without it, they wouldn't feel secure."

Hyuga Fuji smiled. "I didn't think you'd actually come, Shikaku."

"Well, I was prepared to be discovered," Nara Shikaku replied, scratching his head as he looked at the documents Hyuga Fuji handed him. "My mission is complete."

He just hadn't expected to be exposed so soon.

Or that Danzo would cave so quickly, handing this information directly to Hyuga Fuji.

"I only have intel on nine clans. One clan supports you, two clans support me, two have aligned with Fugaku, and four are undecided."

Hyuga Fuji met Shikaku's gaze. "How many of these did you plant to align with Danzo?"

"Just one." Shikaku walked over, took the documents, and explained, "The Toritake clan developed after Konoha was founded. My father was the jonin commander at the time and had some connections with them."

"They're low-profile and get along well with other small clans. Because they're not associated with Elder Meisei, Danzo chose them as one of his operatives. I didn't want to arouse Danzo's suspicion, so I didn't push further."

"Toritake, huh." Hyuga Fuji recalled their details and smiled. "Your clan benefited the least from this division among the ninja clans. Do you need compensation?"

"We already have enough clans sticking with the Nara. Any more, and the pressure will be too much."

Shikaku found a seat, sighing. "Every time something happens, they wait for us to make a decision before joining us. I'm always worried that one wrong step will drag them down with us."

(End of Chapter)

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